KALAMAZOO, MI -- The eerie column of lights soaring straight from ground to sky may be as visible Wednesday night as they were Tuesday, said Richard Bell, president of the Kalamazoo Astronomical Society, who shot photos of the phenomenon.

Courtesy photo

Richard Bell, president of the Kalamazoo Astronomical Society, shot this photo of light pillars in Kalamazoo Township, facing northeast.Courtesy photo

MLive's
Mark Torregrossa said pillars form when bright lights
on the ground reflect though ice crystals in the lower levels of the atmosphere.

Nathan Jeruzal, meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Grand Rapids, said the chances of pillars tonight are likely a bit less than last night, when Kalamazoo temperatures dipped to -4 degrees. Tonight's lows are expected to be more in the range of 5-10 degrees, he said.

"The colder the better" for pillar formation, Jeruzal said.

It's also important to pick areas that have sources of light on the ground, he said, the opposite of the ideal viewing location for stars or Northern Lights.

If you have picture of
pillar lights or sun dogs, rainbows around the sun that appear during
icy daylight hours, send them to us at kznews@mlive.com